Quick and Easy Caramel Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups – sifted Swans Down Cake Flour
• 2 teaspoons – baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon – salt
• 1⁄2 cup – unsalted butter, softened
• 1⁄2 cup – sugar
• 1⁄2 cup – firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 large – eggs
• 2 teaspoons – vanilla extract
• 3⁄4 cup – half-and-half
• 2 (12-ounce) jars – prepared caramel topping, divided
• 2 (8-ounce) packages – cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon – vanilla extract
• 3 cups – confectioners’ sugar

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350°.

LIGHTLY spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with baking spray and flour; set aside.

IN a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

IN a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, stirring to combine.

WITH mixer at lowest speed, add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with half-and-half and beating until smooth. Spread batter in prepared pan.

BAKE until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Using a wooden spoon handle, poke several holes in warm cake. Pour 1 jar prepared caramel topping over cake. Let cake sit at room temperature to absorb caramel, and cool completely, approximately 2 hours.

IN a large bowl, combine cream cheese and vanilla. Beat at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth. Spread over cooled cake (refrigerate leftover). Pour remaining 1 jar caramel topping over frosting in a zigzag pattern. Drag a butter knife through caramel topping to created desired design. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days.